That is just a hint of what the average west African faced growing up as a student. Yes, flogged. Flogged like a cattle. The big Idea behind it, that the student would not repeat the mistake.
For Gods sake! Why? Who brought this disciplinary method to the nursery to secondary schools in west africa? I was only in my third year in kindergarten when I was first flogged the hell out by my aunty (Nigerian title for a female teacher. The male teacher is an uncle). I was probably just between 4 to 5 years old then and that's the earliest I can remember. Why was i beaten, because I did not do my home work. I vividly remember how I was first brought out, then forced to stretch out my hands with an open palm and flogged 5 strokes of the cain.
Children get flogged for funny reasons. These reasons I deem funny because when I look back, I really can not see how most of these reasons where my faults. Reasons like, coming late to school when I was just too little to leave home alone and my parents are the ones that would drop me by the school gate. A student would be beaten up every day If her parents do not buy a particular textbook until they buy it. A student would be flogged when his parents do not attend the schools monthly PTA meeting. How are these the children's fault really?
For those reading this, and still thinking maybe this is just an exaggerated issue, I have seen not once nor ten times, where a student is rushed to the health center after flogging and punishment. I was just in my first year in junior high when i was diagnosed of hernia. I underwent a surgical procedure, and I returned to school less than a month later. It was not up to another month, when I was severely beaten up and kicked at my stomach repeatedly by a teacher simply because I was roaming and running about with my peer after school hours instead of waiting outside for my parents. That day, my dad came to meet me crying and it was hell in the principals office the next day, yet all that went down was the teachers kneels begging and it ended just like that.
An average child in a government school is flogged twice a day. If he or she has strict or frustrated parents or guardian, make it double the dose. This is child abuse, whether the children are now used to it or not, whether it is a norm in our society it is still child abuse in the highest order and I am not happy to see this mode of discipline continue. Children are not cows. Children don't need to learn the hard way. At least, not this kind of hard way. The government has neglected this because it is more practiced in their schools. I have just decided to write about the flogging. What about the punishments most times after the flogging.
Punishments so gruesome students collapse at it and it's all for our good they would say.
All I hope for is change, still it seems there may never be because the issue is not taken as serious as I am taking it. Even fellow victims of this inhumane act become veterans in the field someday. Thank you.
Videos where sourced from https://youtube.com
Very pathetic! Measures must be put in place to curtail this 'wickedness'
It is wickedness my man. Wickedness
It is well. So sad!
Rubbish. This country ehn!
No human being should be treated like this, especially children. I hope that soon many more in this continent will have access to internet and knowledge will be available to everyone, without the need for government run schools.
Our government when no help anybody
This is what you get when Nigerian Parents misinterpret "spare the rod and spoil the child"...its very sad though. One of the reasons why we as a country cannot move forward
They all are the batteries that are sustaining this rubbish, Our senior citizens that is. Flogging me has never changed my attitude. It has just made me scared for a period until I became immune
Hey there, I had no idea when I heard your beautiful singing that I would also see you working to raise awareness of such important issues - I am very happy to help in any way I can.
The Cain was banned in Australia (where I am from) when I was just beginning in Primary school, I find it a little shocking that this practice is continuing to this day - I find it even more disturbing that it seems so prevalent within your society (given the last video).
The points you raise are true, none of the things you listed as a cause for a beating were even the direct fault of the child - how can punishing someone in this manner be expected to help curb undesired behaviour, especially when it seems to just be handed out on mass.
Thanks for shedding some light on this issue, it's people like you speaking up that will eventually usher in change - we can only hope it happens sooner rather then later.
I wish you all the best in gaining more attention on this issue, beating children has never been a way to teach or encourage good behaviour - it's a way of controlling people and giving the abuser an elevated position of power, I'm glad that you're doing what you can to end these practices.
Good luck <3
Thanks so much ma. There is really no justification for this. It is pure wickedness that is innate in their hearts. Even many parents here are worse in this act or should I say art because our ex neighbor has drawn the map of the amazonian jungle on the sons back and he's just about 13 years old now. She beats her children at night when they are already sleeping, for things they did in the day. She thinks by that way, they would become responsible instead, after every stroke they become more hardened and worse. Now she is dead and the children are rogues now. "Who her beating con help".
So many of us went through situations like this back when we were in these institutions. The annoying thing about it is that these so called teachers beat us up for no just cause.
I remember a situation where my French teacher logged the whole class because we arrived late for his class, we explained that the maths teacher begged for a couple of extra minutes to round off the mathematical equation he was solving. Still he flogged us...
This situations need to be stopped... Thanks for sharing
Can you imagine! Like how was it your fault na?
We are not progressing relatively in west Africa because of these stupid mentalities that our elders still keep o. I am not afraid to say it
Your right on this. We need to make so many changes in major systems ithis part of the world if we are to make positive advancement.
Whoa - this is shocking! Government schools?! (I thought maybe Church schools.....) This isn't education - it's child abuse. Emotional, physical and psychological. I hope things are going to change - I wonder what your parents think?
Flogging is not the only way to discipline a child. But some children can be very problematic.. Speaking from experience but flogging should be the last resort if need be
Thank you for bringing this to light.
Although this is not strictly #familyprotection related, it is shocking and I will not be asking you to remove the tag.
The #familyprotection tag is solely focusing on cases involving CPS and how they take children from loving families for profit, keeping this in mind for future posts would be greatly appreciated.
Bless.
Oh! I never knew. Thanks though . I just wanted to air the issue